


Dossiers for Marvel Sentinels and Guides

by Kiyomisa



Series: Marvel Sentinels and Guides [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Gen, Spirit Animals, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-29
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-04-01 15:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 71
Words: 15,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4025017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiyomisa/pseuds/Kiyomisa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A guide of characters and their spirit animals in my MCU Sentinel universe - this includes notes for their history and role in the universe for potential future stories</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Nick Fury

**Nick Fury**

**[](http://imgup.net/) **

Guide: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Coyote

The Coyote is associated with cunning and adaptability. As a trickster, the coyote is good at knowing the truth amidst the lies, especially if some of those lies are its own. Its lessons are often cryptic and are not straightforward at all.

I chose the coyote for Fury for the above reasons, and also I knew I wanted a predator. The coyote is related to dogs and wolves, so you get the second-hand loyalty and ability to work in teams, but it’s a closer fit to Fury’s solitary and manipulative nature. He cares for friends and allies a great deal, but will use them for the greater good and holds all of his cards very close to the chest.

Nick has the potential to become a Guide, but his long military and spy career has closed him off even more than his natural introversion. He has never seen his spirit guide while awake and has only had a handful of visits in his dreams, but his intuition is high and he trusts it almost implicitly.


	2. Maria Hill

**Maria Hill**

 

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Mountain Goat

The Mountain Goat is associated with sure-footedness, practicality, organization and independence.

I like the mountain goat for Maria because she’s a solid leader, not prone to taking risks, or at least uncalculated ones. There’s a solidness and sense about them , that feels like Maria to me.

Maria has the potential to become a sentinel, but even if she did, it would be a low-level one, with only one or two senses enhanced. She has never seen nor dreamed of her spirit guide, and in fact is somewhat skeptical they exist. The only reason she doesn’t dismiss the notion outright is all the documentation supporting their existence. Even if her Sentinel abilities were awoken, her low-levels and mental discipline would allow her to function quite well without a Guide.


	3. Phil Coulson

**Phil Coulson**

 

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Clint and Natasha

Spirit Animal: Stag (European Red Deer)

The stag is associated with vigilance, gentleness, intuition, sacrifice and regeneration.

For Coulson I wanted quiet, unassuming yet regal, calm but potentially dangerous. The symbolism of sacrifice is heavy with the stag, both in Native American and European mythos, and no one has sacrificed more than Coulson. I also liked the idea of an herbivore for Coulson, he’s not a natural predator, but he will defend himself viciously if he has to. I also liked a herd animal for him, Coulson is a people person, but his quiet humor and reserve fit the stoic air of a deer.

Phil activated as a Guide at 11, after his father’s death left him and his mother struggling to make ends meet. His penchant for interfering and diffusing altercations at school, plus his penchant for unnerving teachers with piercing and trapping questions, brought him to SHIELD’s attention and Fury recruited him directly out of high school. Like Fury, Phil rarely receives direct and clear messages from his spirit guide, but he has a high intuition. Unlike Fury, Phil can sometimes second guess himself and has a harder time seeing hidden meanings and ripple effects. 


	4. Natasha Romanoff

**Natasha Romanoff**

[ ](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Clint and Phil

Spirit Animal: Owl (Madagascar Red)

Owls are associated with wisdom, masks and seeing through them, silence, connection to the darker side, death and transition.

I struggled with animal choices for Natasha, foxes and ferrets also seem to fit her pretty well, but then I discovered the existence of the Madagascar Red Owl. Probably due to growing up with the Labyrinth, I always considered Barn Owls to have the pretties and most otherworldly faces out of all owls. There’s something almost skull-like about them. When I found that there was a version that was red, rather than white, I knew it was Nat’s animal. Natasha’s life has been a series of transformations, of learning to wear masks and see beneath the masks of others. Silent, deadly, wise and thoughtful, I feel it fits Nat well.

Nat was discovered by the Red Room through genetic screening, and was forced to awaken her Sentinel abilities at the tender age of six. A Sentinel’s bond to a Guide was seen as a great liability, so she was trained harshly to discipline her own senses and to close herself off from her spirit animal. When she goes rogue from the Red Room, Clint and Phil are sent to bring her down. When they spare her life, she struggles with the breakdown of her conditioning, reopening her connection to her spirit guide and her need for a Guide. While all five her senses are enhanced, her senses of smell , taste and hearing are especially keen.


	5. Clint Barton

**Clint Barton**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Phil and Natasha

Spirit Animal: Squirrel (European Red)

Squirrels are associated with playfulness, resourcefulness, knowing when to move and when to stay still, and planning ahead. But also erratic and a tendency to take on too much.

I’ll admit to having a knee-jerk reaction against making Clint’s animal a hawk, because it’s expected. There’s an energy with purpose in a squirrel that fits Clint. His ability to think in tactics and look at things from a different perspective fit with the squirrel’s insane ability to problem solve . (Anyone with a bird-feeder knows how smart they are). I chose the European Red because they live primarily in trees unlike the grey squirrel which actually spends most of its time on the ground. So they are natural acrobats, plus their ear tufts are cuter. Also I was a huge Redwall fan and the squirrels are usually archers.

Clint’s Sentinel abilities woke when he and his brother ran away from the group home when Clint was 10. They were taken in by Carson Carnival where an older bonded pair helped him gain control over his abilities. At sixteen he caught his mentors stealing money, and when he tried to stop them he was beaten badly enough to lose over 90% of his hearing. Clint stayed with the circus until he turned 18, then chaffing at his relationship with his brother Barney, he left and joined the army as a sniper. However his attitude did not mesh well with military life and he was recruited into SHIELD by the age of 21. He and Bobbi Morse had an intense on and off relationship for a couple of years until he finally bonded with Phil. Clint wears inner hearing-aids that give him slightly above average hearing but nowhere near sentinel levels. His sight is one of the highest recorded, the rest of his senses are Sentinel-average. Clint has always been able to see his spirit guide easily, and now follows its advice with a resigned grudge, since anytime he’s ignored the path has led to nothing but trouble. He calls his guide Amber after the captain of squirrels from Redwall.


	6. Melinda May

**Melinda May**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Bat (Flying Fox)

Bats are associated with death and rebirth, transformation, understanding grief, camouflage and secrets.

I liked the idea of an owl but Melinda gave me a more mammalian vibe, hence bat. Flying Foxes are the largest bats on earth and are fruit bats. The grief and rebirth fit Melinda especially well with her experiences in Baharain.  

Melinda has always been in touch with her spiritual side and received many dream visits and a few waking ones from her spirit animal. However, when she followed her guide into that warehouse of Baharain, the tragedy woke her Sentinel abilities. Dealing with both the grief and her new senses put unbelievable strain on her marriage to Andrew, and she eventually divorced him. She has since closed herself some to her spirit guide and no longer acts solely on its input, instead carefully considering all sides before acting. Her hearing and touch are her strongest senses. She has no desire to find a Guide or Bond


	7. Leo Fitz

**Leo Fitz**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Jemma, Pre-Bond with Mack

Spirit Animal: Beaver (North American)

Beavers are associated with hearth and home, industriousness, engineering, emotional navigation, action to realize dreams.

Home and family are very important to Fitz, and in a lot of ways he’s one of the most emotionally mature characters. Besides, the other animals I got when looking up great engineers were either insects or birds, and Fitz had a definite mammalian vibe. Also his fretting tends to remind me of Mrs. Beaver from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Fitz awoke as a Guide very early on, close to the same time he learned to talk. His sensitive nature and high intellect made school very difficult for him, and he was enrolled in a special boarding school for young Guides in northern Scotland. His mother moved to be closer to him. He was instantly drawn to Jemma when they met at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, but didn’t Bond to her until her Sentinel abilities awoke. When their Bond was strained after the reveal of Hydra, Fitz grew closer to Mack. Now that they are repairing their own relationship, they have the potential to become a tri-bond. Fitz has never dreamed of his guide, or seen it in visions. However he has always been drawn to beavers and has a small collection of beaver-themed knick-knacks.


	8. Jemma Simmons

**Jemma Simmons**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Fitz

Spirit Animal: Tit (Dusky)

Tits/Chickadees are associated with protection, curiosity, friendliness, courage against odds

Jemma has a big heart, an insatiable curiosity, and instinct for protecting others. I liked the idea of a small bird for Jemma, there’s a nervous energy about her, but not a fearful one. Tits have been known to attack much larger and aggressive birds to protect their own, which reminds me of Jemma throwing herself on the grenade on the train and going undercover in Hydra. Even when she slips into prejudices against the Inhumans, it’s born out of a need to protect. Also a generally happy little songbird just seems to fit her.

Jemma had the potential to be either a Guide or a Sentinel, but she didn’t come online until the Chitauri virus when she jumped out of the plane. Her enhanced senses are on the low-end for Sentinels, and by Bonding quickly with Fitz, she acclimated quickly. When her relationship with Fitz strained after his injury and she went undercover with Hydra, she stayed stable through frequent visits from Coulson. Like Fitz, Jemma has never had contact with her spirit guide, but has been drawn to the small songbirds all her life.


	9. Skye| Daisy Johnson

**Skye | Daisy Johnson**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated pre-bond with Trip, Lincoln

Spirit Animal: Hare (Snowshoe)

Hares are associated with independence, cunning, agility, walking between worlds, creativity, sensitivity living by your wits and moving through fear. Hare is also a trickster spirit.

Hares are tougher and more solitary than rabbits. They can take care of themselves from a very young age. Skye is tough but sensitive, quick thinking and holds up well even when afraid. The trickster spirit fits with her humor and hacking abilities.

Skye had the potential to be either a Guide or a Sentinel, but her abilities stayed dormant until the fall of SHIELD, at which point Ward tried to force-Bond with her and failed. But when she went through Terrigensis, her Guide abilities mutated into Sentinel ones. Sky had great intuition but didn’t start actually seeing her guide until she became a Sentinel.


	10. Antoine Triplett

**Antoine Triplett**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Pre-bond with Skye, Lincoln

Spirit Animal: Dog (Irish Deerhound)

Dogs are associated with loyalty, teamwork, protection, communication, acceptance and kindness

Irish Deerhounds were bred as war and large-game hunters, but are actually passive, gentle-giants. Perfect for Trip’s laid-back solid attitude.

Trip’s Guide abilities activated fairly young and he rose through SHIELD ranks no problem. He was instrumental in helping Skye adjust to her Guide abilities and again when she awoke as a Sentinel. Trip’s guide appears to him regularly, he calls it Mickey.


	11. Alphonso 'Mack' Mackenzie

**Alphonso 'Mack' Mackenzie**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Pre-bond with Fitz and Jemma

Spirit Animal: Pangolin

(I’m going off of the symbolism of armadillos and skunks for this one) Self-protection, neutrality, unearthing truths, curiosity, coasting through emotional floods, prudence, confidence and awareness.

Pangolins are scaled insectivores, who like armadillos curl up inside their armor to protect themselves, and like the skunk have glands that spray noxious liquids. Mack believes in non-violence and pacifism, but he also has a shell that clearly divides “us” from “them”. He is also the voice of reason when it comes to alien technology, showing a prudence that others don’t.

Mack was dormant until the Kree city, and has struggled with the new senses since. His territoriality especially seems unbalanced. His smell, taste and touch are his best senses, and while he dreams of his spirit guide, he usually forgets upon waking.


	12. Bobbi Morse

**Bobbi Morse**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated - Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Honey Badger

Honey Badgers are associated with power, resilience, passion, wisdom, solitude

Honey Badgers are smart, tough as shit and will bully full grown lions by biting at their testicles. If that’s not a good fit for Bobbi I don’t know what is.

Bobbi studied bio-chem at SHIELD Academy before her psych and physical evaluations prompted SHIELD to offer Specialist training for her. Her Sentinel abilities activated when complications in an extraction plan delayed her escape from a hot situation. She complied easily with SHIELD protocol for centering with SHIELD Guides in between missions, but hasn’t clicked with anyone yet. She and Clint Barton had an intense on and off relationship until Clint Bonded with Phil. She built a steamy relationship with Lance Hunter after running into him on multiple ops and eventually married him. Their marriage lasted three years before the relationship fell apart. Although there hasn’t been the cohesion of a true Pride yet within SHIELD, Bobbi does tend to think of Jemma and Mack as in her Pride. Her best senses are touch and hearing. She’s only seen her spirit animal once, when she was being tortured by Ward.


	13. Lance Hunter

**Lance Hunter**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Badger (European)

Badgers are associated with independence, defense, cunning, fierceness, wisdom.

My own personal badger associations are heavily influenced by British young adult fantasy: Wind in the Willows, Redwall, Chronicles of Narnia. I think the fierce independence is what makes this the animal for Lance. And the wisdom of a sorts, Lance never lets other people make his mind up for him. And in a lot of ways he’s more emotionally mature than Bobbi.

Lance was tagged as a potential Guide as a young kid. The information leaked at his school and lots of teasing about his sensitive nature drove him to become tough and aggressive. In another effort to prove himself, he joined the SAS and rose to the rank of Lieutenant, before leaving due to problems with the chain of command. Not entirely sure what else to do with his skill set, he fell into mercenary work. As a mercenary he kept running into Bobbi Morse, both hired by SHIELD and hired by the opposition. Eventually he joined Heartly’s team, more comfortable with the jobs taken with her team, and married Bobbi. After three years their marriage dissolved. He has never encountered his spirit guide.


	14. Mike Peterson

**Mike Peterson**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated -Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Japanese Horned Beetle (Kabutomushi)

Beetles are associated with death and rebirth, transformation, protection, persistence and strength

I thought a beetle fit Mike very well, especially considering his journey into Deathlok. His motivation for the entire series has been the protection of his son and he his certainly a survivor. I liked this specific beetle for Mike because the kabutomushi is a dueling beetle, a fighter.

Mike’s Sentinel abilities were artificially induced through the Centipede Program and he cannot Bond. He has only seen his spirit animal through intense meditation, he has to work to connect to it spiritually. His senses are on the lower end of the Sentinel spectrum, and sometimes his cyborg enhancements contradict them. Fitz and Jemma worked together to add a small device connected to his temporal lobe that can act as a guide to at least minimize zone-outs.


	15. Grant Ward

**Grant Ward**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated-Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanian Devils are associated with defense, aggression, territorial, perseverance, idealism, romantic, passion bordering on obsession, brutal honesty, emotional

I think those traits speak to themselves when it comes to Ward. The romantic is more of a “see life through rose-colored lenses” type of romance, not falling in love, which really strikes me with Ward’s inability to take any responsibility for his own actions, even when he claims to do so. I like the irony of the brutal honesty aspect as well, since his strict repression of such a trait could be one more factor to lead to his instability.

Ward’s sentinel abilities came online that fateful day at the well. His parents, wanting to protect the family’s reputation, never reported him and urged him to repress his abilities. While he got good enough to hide the reasons behind his instability, he couldn’t hide the instability itself, and was primed for Garrett’s manipulations long before he met him. His dog Buddy served as a Guide-substitute for him in the woods, and the isolation and simple companionship did a lot to stabilize him until Garrett killed Buddy. Ward then latched onto Garrett as a pseudo-guide, but the man had zero potential for being a Guide. Ward managed to hide his Sentinel status from SHIELD due to his incredible undercover skills, as well as a hormonal cocktail developed by HYDRA. As such Coulson, Fitz and Skye were the first Guides he spent any prolonged time around, and since Coulson was Bonded and Fitz Pre-Bonded, he latched onto Skye, even though her abilities were still dormant. After her stringent rejection of him upon learning he was HYDRA, he tried to Force-Bond with her during the final confrontation, only to be stopped by May. His isolated imprisonment left him little to do but meditate and he eventually was able to reconnect with his spirit guide. However too much damage had been done to the connection, and his inability to acknowledge any wrongdoing on his part left the spiritual messages garbled and misinterpreted. Rejected again by Skye, he latched onto Kara, again despite her lack of Guide potential. Her death severed for once and all any connection he had with his spirit guide.


	16. Raina

**Raina**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated

Spirit Animal: Chameleon (Indian)

Chameleons are associated with agility, clairvoyance, objective detachment, patience, reaching for goals and survival

I thought of Chameleon for Raina even before I delved into deeper symbolism and the references to prophetic dreams and detachment clinched it. Riana was goal oriented, able to reflect back what others wanted from her to get what she wanted, and could be cruelly indifferent in her pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Like most Inhumans, Raina’s dormant Guide abilities only activated after her emergence from the cocoon. She dreamed of the chameleon often before Terrigenisis, and saw it constantly afterwards. It took her some time to determine its legitimacy and thought for a time she was hallucinating as a side-effect of her transformation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Chamaeleo_zeylanicus#/media/File:Chamaeleo_zeylanicus.jpg


	17. Lincoln Campbell

**Lincoln Campbell**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated –Pre-Bond with Skye and Trip

Spirit Animal: Seahorse (Longsnout)

Seahorses are associated with patience, protection, persistence, contentment, high-perception and generosity.

I liked the idea of a water animal for Lincoln, since water is often associated with healing, physical or spiritual. Water is also associated with emotions and the ability to deal with them, which I felt fit Lincoln well. I didn’t want to use the electric eel because I wanted to focus more on his personality rather than his powers. The seahorse fits Lincolns softer, easy-going nature, and his ability to empathize with others.

Lincoln grew up knowing he would go through Terrigenisis and would also likely activate his latent Guide abilities. He was taught meditation and connected to his spirit guide rather early on, though he refused to reveal its nature due to some insecurities about its size and nature. By the time he was in Med School he’d come to accept his guide. His transformation was a big strain on him, but Jiaying and his spirit guide saw him through. He’d never felt drawn to any of the active Sentinels in Afterlife until he was charged with helping Skye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal Image from  
> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Hippocampus_reidi#/media/File:Longsnout_Seahorse_%28Hippocampus_reidi%29_%283149753624%29.jpg


	18. Jiaying

**Jiaying**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated - Ex-Bonded with Cal

Spirit Animal: Golden Tiger

Tigers are associated with power, courage, passion, unpredictability, patience, persistence, devotion, willpower and solitude

I specifically wanted the Golden Tiger for Jiaying for its rarity. For any of the villians I wanted animals that could be both the pure and twisted versions of themselves, especially since MCU is so good at rounding the villains out.

Jiaying had been the Alpha Sentinel of Afterlife for several generations before Whitehall found her. Over her lifetime, she has Bonded three times, twice her Guides died of natural old age. By the time she Bonded with Cal her connection with her spirit animal was already tenuous due to the repeated trauma of losing the Bond. Her temporary death at Whitehall’s hands and the loss of Daisy drove her into a blind Sentinel Rage. Cal could not stave off Jiaying’s stronger mental storm, and finally their Bond broke under the strain. This worked as a kind of wake-up call to Jiaying, bringing her out of the rage. However she was now completely closed off from her guide and was no longer capable of Bonding. She now saw her past connection as a weakness, one she could not afford if she were to protect the other Inhumans. She became cold and distant and without her connection to her guide, it was easier and easier to convince herself that what she did was necessary for the greater good.


	19. Calvin Zabo|Johnson

**Calvin Johnson**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Ex-Bonded with Jiaying

Spirit Animal: Rhinoceros (Indian)

Rhinos are associated with confidence, judgment, freedom, explosive power, grounded, peace of mind, unconventional, solitude

For Cal, especially in light of the end of season 2, I wanted an animal that was normally fine minding its own business, but could be terrifying when angered. A lot of the qualities of the rhino are ones I imagine Cal had before the loss of his family drove him insane.

Cal awoke as a Guide during his residency when he experienced his first patient death. He had a few dreams from his guide, but was not totally in tune with it. His guide tried to warn him away from Jiaying many times, but he was too drawn to her damaged spirit and could not resist trying to heal her. He even succeeded some until Whitehall destroyed everything. Cal’s gentle spirit could not handle Jiaying’s rage, but after the Bond broke he no longer knew how to function without it. He found some brief respite during his time protecting Raina, but soon she became too much a reminder of his lost daughter and he left. The broken Bond and his experimental formula blocked out his guide until the TAHITI process gave him back peace of mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros#/media/File:One_horned_Rhino.jpg


	20. Gordon

**Gordon**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Goose (Canadian)

Geese are associated with long journeys, stamina, loyalty, fellowship, bravery, communication and determination

Gordon learned meditation and control from Jiaying and thus has felt little need to Bond. Following his spirit guide let him find many young Inhumans that needed the care of Afterlife, but his loyalty and devotion has always been to Jiaying, so when his guide began to warn him against her plan for SHIELD, he ignored the warnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Featured_picture_candidates/Canada-Goose#/media/File:Canada-Goose-Szmurlo.jpg


	21. Tony Stark

**Tony Stark**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Pepper

Spirit Animal: Cockatoo (Major Mitchell)

Cockatoos are associated with communication, intelligence, pride, confidence, beauty, the muse, preserving what you care for, ingenuity

I have to admit to choosing this animal more for it’s behavioral traits and appearances more than it’s traditional symbology. Cockatoos are smart and affectionate, are also loud and flashy and kind of bratty. I knew Tony had to be some kind of brightly colored bird, and an intelligent one. The look of the Major Mitchell just cinched it.

Tony was tested and proved to have the potential to be a Sentinel at a young age, but the longer those abilities remained dormant, it was just another disappointment to Howard, who had never managed to come online himself. As a result Tony eschewed anything to do with Sentinels and Guides until his kidnapping by the Ten Rings when he came online. Dr. Yinsen acted as a stop-gap Guide and taught Tony some basic meditation techniques. Once back in Malibu, Tony kept his status hidden even from Rhodey and Pepper, relying on JARVIS to snap him out of zones. However by the end of the events at the Stark-Expo, Tony admited that he needs more help than JARVIS and asks Pepper to be his Guide, despite her abilities still being dormant. Pepper agrees only after chewing him out thoroughly. Most of his senses are bare minimum Sentinel level, but his touch is nearly off the charts. Tony dreams of his spirit animal often, but lives in firm denial that the dreams are significant.


	22. Pepper Potts

**Virginia 'Pepper' Potts**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Tony

Spirit Animal: Dog (Brindled Greyhound)

Dogs are associated with loyalty, teamwork, protection, communication, acceptance and kindness

Loyalty is Pepper’s strongest trait, and the sleek, elegant lines of the greyhound reminds me very much of Pepper. Greyhounds are generally friendly and docile, but still protective of the home. The brindled color made it a must.

Pepper’s Guide abilities may have been technically dormant until after Extremis, but any Guide or Sentinel meeting her could tell how strong her potential was. Pepper however was uninterested in being Bonded or tied to any one Sentinel and wanted to focus on her career, so her abilities remained dormant. However when she became Tony Stark’s PA, she was drawn to him in a way she’d never been drawn before. When Tony finally came clean as an online Sentinel, she already knew on some level and was partially mad because she had to acknowledge the fact that they were already Pre-Bonded. Due to both her and Tony’s busy schedule, JARVIS is on hand to help with zones, and Rhodey has been granted Guide medical authority if Pepper is unreachable in an emergency.


	23. James Rhodes

**James 'Rhodey' Rhodes**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Horse (Friesian)

Horses are associated with freedom, endurance, power, faithfulness, friendship, travel

I almost chose a flying animal for Rhodey, for obvious reasons, but he has such a down-to-earth, grounded sensibility that I finally chose the horse. It still captures his flyboy test-pilot need for speed and freedom. Also you couldn’t ask for a better friend. Someone who can stick with Tony through all his bullshit, while still calling him on said bullshit.

Though Rhodey has the potential to be a Guide, it has never manifested, and if it did, he would most likely be low-level. Still this inherent nature has allowed him to be Tony’s friend through thick and thin, and he has also been able to help Tony out of zones. (He may come online and bond with Carol, but I’m waiting for the movie before a final judgment call on that)


	24. Bruce Banner

**Bruce Banner**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Partially Activated – Bonded to Betty

Spirit Animal: Snake (Western Diamondback Rattlesnake)

Snakes are associated with transformation, primal energy, immortality, patience, wisdom, cunning, balance, elusiveness and creative power

I like the snake because it has traits that fit both Bruce and the Hulk. I went specifically with the rattlesnake because although it’s deadly, it prefers to avoid conflict and gives clear warning before it strikes.

Bruce showed signs of becoming a Sentinel at a young age, but his father’s abuse shut his senses down. Bruce remained dormant until the Hulk emerged. As the manifestation of all the things Bruce kept bottled up, Hulk is a full-blown Sentinel. If Hulk could be cajoled into testing for benchmarks, his sensitivity on all five senses would be off the charts. This is one reason Hulk is hard to calm down, not only is he usually brought out during painful/stressful situations, his senses are immediately bombarded by the world without a chance to establish a baseline. Hulk is also open to the spiritual realm and can see ghosts and spirit animals, including other peoples’ in waking life. Bruce on the other hand only has a slightly elevated sense of smell and hearing, and can only see his guide when dreaming.


	25. Betty Ross

**Betty Ross**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide- Activated – Bonded to Bruce

Spirit Animal: Dog (Karelian Bear Dog)

Dogs are associated with loyalty, teamwork, protection, communication, acceptance and kindness

Bred as a hunting dog for hunting large, aggressive game including moose, bears and wild boars. They are even used today for bear control in some national parks. They are very protective of their handlers and territory and as a working breed, become anxious without a job to do. I like this breed for Betty because of the fierce loyalty and work ethic. Also the fearless ability to handle much larger and dangerous animals.

Betty came online with the onset of puberty. Due to her father’s dismissive opinions on “bleeding heart guides” Betty rebelled by becoming as “Guide-like” as possible, as well as paradoxically trying to subvert as many tropes as she could. She took extra-curricular Guide training and even when research sucked her soul, she made sure to volunteer a few hours a week grounding unbounded Sentinels at the local center. She was drawn to Bruce from the get-go, but sensed he was no-where ready to embrace his nature. With the birth of the Hulk came an instant and violent Bonding leaving both of them raw and spiritually sensitive. (Note that Bonding occurs with emotional intimacy not physical intimacy) By the time she had recovered from the incident, Bruce had fled the country and she had no luck tracking him down. She had a general sense of his well-being through their bond, and she was able to connect with him through dreams, keeping both of them grounded until their reunion in Harlem. When he was finally able to return permanently due to SHIELD and the Avengers , she read him the riot act for leaving her behind _twice_ and now works at Stark Industries. She, Natasha and Pepper have formed an unholy and formidable trio of friendship that can and has toppled entire companies.


	26. Sam Wilson

**Sam Wilson**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide-Activated – Pre-bond with Steve and Bucky

Spirit Animal: Gull (Sooty)

Gulls are associated with lessons in behavior and communication, community, cooperation, to see from above, from a distance, and with clarity. To see things from the point of view of others.

To be honest, a falcon would have fit Sam just fine, but in the MCU his work with other veterans pulled me closer to the gull for him.

Sam came online with the onset of puberty and after initial classes to understand Guides and Sentinels, he sort of let it lie until after he left the service. While he didn’t deny his Guide nature, he didn’t do much with it either, aside from counseling his fellow servicemen. Afterwards he found fulfillment with veteran counseling and made himself available to ground unbounded Sentinels with PTSD (any Sentinel with PTSD, not just veterans). After the exposure of Hydra and the fall of SHIELD, Sam found himself in Pre-bond with Steve, and through Steve’s pre-existing Bond with Bucky, with Bucky as well. Because of this Steve entrusted Sam with the search for Bucky while Steve and the Avengers Pride focused on the larger problem of Hydra.


	27. Vision

**Vision**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel & Guide: Activated – Pre-Bond with Wanda

Spirit Animal: Raven

Ravens are associated with magic, mysticism, wisdom, introspection, creation, rebirth, finding light in the darkness, power of thought, renewal, honoring ancestors

Vision in the MCU is especially tapped into the wisdom of the cosmos, metaphorically and literally ethereal. A youthful playfulness combined with ancient wisdom. I was saving the Raven for someone special, and that was Vision.

Vision’s artificial nature and connection to an infinity stone grants him the rare ability to be both Sentinel and Guide at the same time. He is whole unto himself and does not need the balance of a partner but is capable of balancing others. He entered a pre-bond with Wanda the first time she touched his mind.


	28. Wanda Maximoff

**Wanda Maximoff**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Pietro, pre-bond with Vision

Spirit Animal: Magpie

Magpies are associated with intelligence, refinement, illusion, occult knowledge, perception, creativity, prophecy, willfulness, balance of light and dark, seeing in the dark, and luck

I like the magpie for Wanda because it shares a lot in common with the Raven, but there’s an earthy darkness to the associations that touch on the darkness in Wanda. She has a wisdom and regal air, but her balance is actually quite fragile and when she goes down she takes everything she can with her.

Wanda and Pietro manifested during the hellish days stuck with that bomb, and Bonded immediately with each other. Since then they have needed no-one but each other, their loyalty to no-one but each other. Struker was merely a stepping-stone towards the power they needed to save themselves and their country. They had planned on taking his operation down after they’d achieved revenge on Tony, but were content with his downfall at the hands of the Avengers. Why fight your enemies if you can get them to fight each other instead? However the knowledge that Ultron wanted to take down all of humanity was the push Wanda needed to clear her desire for revenge from blocking her connection to her spirit animal. She has formed a pre-bond with Vision the first time she touched his mind. But due to his other-worldly nature and Pietro’s jealousy, the exploration of the connection has been a slow one.


	29. Pietro Maximoff

**Pietro Maximoff**

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Wanda

Spirit Animal: Cheetah

Cheetahs are associated with brotherhood, speed, elusiveness, flexibility, self-esteem, short-term intense focus, keen sight, solitude

I tried so hard to avoid cliché animals for Pietro, but his personality is pretty tied into his speed, and for a long time I was going to go with roadrunner for him, but the feline attitude I think fits Pietro better. The “yes I am wonderful and you should love me but only on my terms” attitude. Pietro also has a trove of hidden insecurities, which fits the somewhat nervous nature of Cheetahs. (Cheetahs in captivity are given companion dogs for their anxiety).

Even though Pietro is twelve minutes older, where Wanda leads, he follows. He is incredibly protective and rather possessive of his sister, which was never a problem until Vision entered the picture. In a lot of ways Visions is the perfect man, how could Pietro hope to compete with that? At the same time no one will ever be good enough for his precious sister, including himself. If Pietro can ever lower his barriers, Vision could bring a balance to their co-dependent Bond that the twins could really use.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Malene/Mammals#/media/File:Gepardjagt1_%28Acinonyx_jubatus%29.jpg


	30. Johann Schmidt

** Johann Schmidt  **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Shark (Shortfin Mako)

Sharks are associated with primal, focus, innovation, efficiency, power, calculating, superiority, remorseless

The shortfin mako is the fastest and most widespread shark species. I think the shark aspects speak for themselves and Schmidt.

Schmidt came online during puberty, a time in Berlin when funding for Sentinels and Guides were low and propriety eschewed grounding with unbonded outside of the family. It wasn’t until Hitler came into power that Sentinels became a focus and pride of the government, though Guides were reduced to a secondary being whose only purpose was to serve a Sentinel. Schmidt himself now viewed Guides as unnecessary, a crutch that Sentinels needed to give up. Part of his fascination with Erskine’s formula was finding a way to eliminate the need for grounding. All five of his senses are high level.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal Image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isurus_oxyrinchus_by_mark_conlin2.JPG


	31. Steve Rogers

** Steve Rogers **

Sentinel & Guide: Activated –Bonded to Bucky, previously pre-bond to Peggy, pre-bond with Sam

Spirit Animal: North American Bison

Bison are associated with sacrifice, service to community, gratitude, consistency, blessing, strength, stability, prosperity, health, stamina, gentleness, protectiveness, stubbornness

I can’t even start to explain how perfect the bison is for Steve. I have too many words and none of them are quite right.

Steve was born with the potential to be either a Guide or a Sentinel. Due to his poor physical health, everyone pretty much expected him to be a Guide, especially when he met young potential Sentinel Bucky. Steve’s mother was a fairly strong Guide herself, and taught both Steve and Bucky several meditation techniques to connect with their spirit animals. Bucky teased Steve about having such a large animal to grow into. Steve’s Guide abilities came online shortly after his mother’s death and a couple years later America entered WWII. Steve formed a pre-bond with Peggy during the training at Project Rebirth. Erskine’s formula also awakened Steve’s Sentinel abilities. However, unlike Vision, Steve can’t balance himself and needs grounding with both a Guide and a Sentinel to fully function. He can, however go longer without needing to be grounded. When he rescued Bucky, Bucky’s Sentinel abilities had come online and they Bonded in the aftermath of the rescue. The Howling Commandos formed a strong Pride with Steve as the Alpha Sentinel and Guide. When Bucky fell, the pain lash through the Bond made Steve reflexively close himself off from the bond and his guide, and he assumed the Bond had broken. When he woke he gradually opened back up, but couldn’t make sense of the messages from his Guide. It wasn’t until he learned Bucky was alive and pre-bonded with Sam that he was able to get back on track. He is now forming a new Pride with the Avengers. All of Steve's senses are high level for a Sentinel.


	32. Bucky Barnes

** James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes **

Sentinel: Active - Bonded to Steve

Spirit Animal: Bobcat

Bobcats are associated with awareness, strategy, cunning, intellect, patience, playfulness, the art of surprise, silence, solitude

Bucky knows when to be friendly, relax and have fun, and when silence and patience is needed.

Despite his close friendship with Steve and several scraps to keep him out of trouble, Bucky’s Sentinel abilities didn’t awaken until his capture by Hydra. He Bonded with Steve shortly after being rescued. As the Winter Soldier, Bucky felt this hollow tug from the Bond, but Hydra’s mind-wiping techniques kept him from being able to understand it. Hydra would ground him with a Guide just after each unthawing, always a different Guide so he wouldn’t get attached. But the Bond and his connection to his guide flared to life after running into Steve again. Once free of Hydra, Bucky worked on unlocking his memories, and under advisement of his spirit animal, is trying to patch himself together as much as possible before rejoining Steve. Bucky’s sight and touch are high, his other senses on the lower end of Sentinel ability.


	33. Peggy Carter

** Margaret ‘Peggy’ Carter **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Previous pre-bond with Steve, Bonded to Angie and Daniel

Spirit Animal – Bear (North American Black)

Bears are associated with bravery, peace, power, benevolence, nurturing, protection, judgment, confidence, authority, grounding, and duality

I like bear for Peggy because while she prefers to avoid violence, she’s not reluctant to use it. There’s a nurturing side to her that comes out with people she’s really drawn to (Steve, Angie) but she’s not a coddler either.

Peggy’s Sentinel abilities came online at a young age while she was away at boarding school. With no relatives that could serve as a guide, Peggy was limited to government supported Bond-widows to ground herself. Uncomfortable with the distant clinical feel, Peggy worked hard at grounding herself, and was able to go months at a time without noticeable detriment. This and her knack for languages and code-breaking brought her to the attentions of the SSR. After her successful rescue of Dr. Erskine she was assigned to him as protection detail. She was drawn to Steve and during his training formed a pre-bond. However their subsequent separation and differing assignments kept them apart for long periods at a time and they were never able to Bond properly. She and Bucky exchanged their own letters commiserating on how best to reign Steve in and keep him safe. Had she had more missions with the Howling Commandos, they might have formed a strong Triad. After the war Peggy closed herself off until Angie crossed her path. Despite Peggy’s best efforts she found herself Bonding with Angie. Eventually they also Bonded with Daniel and in keeping with the sensibilities of the times, Peggy married him. Peggy remained Director of SHIELD until the early seventies when she stepped back down to Agent before eventually retiring for good in the early nineties. Her sense of smell, taste and touch are mid-level and her sight and hearing are low-level.


	34. Dottie Underwood

** Dottie Underwood **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Margay Wildcat

Cats are associated with patience, knowing when to act, independent yet social, curiosity, courage, agility, flexibility, secrecy, intelligence and mystery

The margay is a small jungle cat that predominantly spends its time in the trees hunting birds and monkeys. It even has special ankles that let it climb down head first, and one biologist caught a young margay cat imitating monkey calls to try and lure its prey. I liked the idea of a cat for Dottie because there’s a sense that she enjoys toying with her prey unlike Natasha. I also get the feeling that she primarily follows orders from the Leviathan because she enjoys what they ask her to do. She certainly loves learning new skills and acquiring new gadgets.

Dottie came online through her training. She has always been able to see her spirit animal and learned early on to only pretend to sever her connection. However the repeated brainwashing and harsh training means that she often misinterprets her spirit animal’s messages. Instead of being allowed to ground themselves on guides, or being trained in mediation in order to ground themselves, Leviathan relied on hypnosis and brainwashing to keep the Sentinel’s senses in control. This complete lack of grounding has lead to a certain instability in the agents and many have had to be put down by the agency once they’ve outlived their usefulness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margay#/media/File:Margaykat_Leopardus_wiedii.jpg


	35. Angie Martinelli

** Angie Martinelli **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Peggy and Daniel

Spirit Animal: Fox

Foxes are associated with cunning, strategy, adaptability, quick-thinking, passion, desire, expression, deception and seeing through deception, a trickster

I like the fox for Angie because it fits her snarky nature, and the trickster/shapeshifter associations are like her passion for acting.

Angie came online as a Guide shortly after moving to New York but resisted any training since she was focused on becoming an actress. However once she struck up a friendship with Peggy she studied a bit on her own. She and Peggy Bonded a few weeks after Peggy cleared Howard’s name. Angie & Daniel followed Peggy to LA and Angie managed to get a few bit parts in movies before signing on with MGM Studios. She rose through the ranks to become a solid B-List actress. Because of Angie’s high-profile career and the sensibilities of the time, the trio decided that Peggy and Daniel would marry. Although Angie was referred to as Auntie Angie by the kids, the true relationship between the three was an open secret among friends and close family. Eventually they moved back to New York and Angie switched to Broadway performances. Angie acted until her death in the late 2000’s.


	36. Daniel Sousa

** Daniel Sousa **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Peggy and Angie

Spirit Animal: Cardinal

Cardinals are associated with hope, love, joy, pride, focus, vitality, confidence and courage

I liked the message of hope and care of the cardinal for Daniel, with a spitfire vitality to match his determination and refusal to stay down.

Daniel didn’t come online as a Guide until he was injured in the war. Always intuitive, he was able to accept his spirit animal’s guidance, which helped him accept his new disability much quicker than he would have otherwise. Daniel kept his Guide status quietly to himself, as other agents would see it as another weakness in addition to his leg. However he was drawn to Peggy from the moment he met her. Her exposure as a double agent hurt him deeply, but he still followed her to LA and eventually he managed to come to terms with what had happened and he Bonded with both her and Angie. He again followed Peggy when she and Howard founded SHIELD, becoming one of its top analysts. He retired a decade before Peggy and focused on painting. He died peacefully in the early 2000’s.


	37. Howard Stark

** Howard Stark **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Rooster

Roosters are associated with confidence, leadership, creativity, pride, arrogance, territorial, sexuality, attractiveness

I knew immediately I wanted Howard to be a cock.

Howard tested as a potential Sentinel, but his senses never came online. Howard both admired and envied Steve greatly. Howard stayed a decided bachelor until the sixties when he went into business with Obadiah. Obadiah introduced Howard to Maria, the daughter of top tier general. While Obadiah urged Howard into a relationship with Maria in order to gain even more government contracts, Howard and Maria did fall in love and married just a year after being introduced. Tony was born a few years later. Although both loved Tony very much, neither were natural caretakers and much of Tony’s child-rearing was left to Jarvis and his wife. Maria focused a lot of her attention on her foundation and charities and was just as busy as her husband, a tour de force in the upper echelons of New York society. Howard was almost never home, splitting his attention between SHIELD, Stark Industries, the Stark Expo and the search for Steve. Both died in a car accident when Tony was seventeen. New evidence suggests that the accident was arranged by the Winter Soldier for Hydra.


	38. Edwin Jarvis

** Edwin Jarvis **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Giraffe

Giraffes are associated with patience, elegance, intuition, perception, protection, discernment, cooperation, intelligence, resourcefulness, gentleness of spirit

Like Coulson, I wanted a still elegance for Jarvis, but something less aggressive than a stag. There’s also an aloofness there that fits Jarvis’s British butler sensibilities. A distance with warmth instead of coolness.

Jarvis’s Guide abilities never came online, but he still guided many of the people in his life with a warmth and generosity unmatched by many active Guides. Despite Jarvis’s often shrewd insight into people he also assumed the best of people, which had others trying to protect him from his own gullibility. Jarvis had never been a fighter and did best in a support role, but he could be fierce in his protection of those dear to him. He and Anna practically raised Tony as their own son, but Jarvis was always conscious of his status as a servant and kept as much appropriate distance as he could, while trying to encourage Howard and Maria to spend more time with their son. When Tony met Rhodey at MIT, Jarvis relied on the sensible young man to keep him updated on Tony. When Howard and Maria died Tony began pulling away from Jarvis and Anna, encouraging them to retire to a cozy house in Vermont. Tony threw himself into Stark Industries and shifted his attentions from Jarvis and Anna to Obadiah. Jarvis died in the early nineties after suffering a severe stroke. Anna followed him a few months later. Tony did not attend either funeral, instead locking himself up in his workshop, only emerging once his new project JARVIS was done.


	39. Dum Dum Dugan

** Timothy ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded

Spirit Animal: Musk Ox

Musk Ox are associated with endurance, family, strength, courage, persistence, survival

Dum Dum Dugan’s sentinel abilities came online with the onset of puberty. As the eldest son of a large Irish-immigrant family, Dugan dropped out of school at a young age to work. In his late teens he got a job as a strongman at the Norumbega Park amusement park. He stayed employed there until the war started and signed up. He was transferred to the 107th and eventually became a Howling Commando. Despite the closeness of the Commandos, Dugan remained Unbonded until he returned to the states where he met and married his Guide shortly after starting SHIELD. As Director, Peggy was focused on Communications, Howard was in charge of R&D and Dugan slipped comfortably into the lead on Operations. He retired from the field in the early seventies and stayed on as an Instructor until the late eighties. He died in the mid nineties from complications due to a life-time of smoking. Dugan’s taste and smell are his strongest senses, though he dulled them by smoking cigars. He only saw his spirit animal twice, but followed his intuition often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Musk_ox_mammals_at_Alaska.jpg


	40. Gabe Jones

** Gabe Jones: **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated –Bonded

Spirit Animal: Dog (Belgian Shepherd)

Dogs are associated with loyalty, teamwork, protection, communication, acceptance and kindness

I liked the idea of a herding dog for Gabe and I liked the look of the Belgian.

Gabe came online as a Guide shortly before the war. He grew up in Georgia but moved to New Orleans in his mid-teens as an aspiring jazz musician. There he picked up French rather quickly. When he enlisted in the army they gave him a crash course in German, which again he picked up quickly. He shipped out with the 92nd Infantry, but transferred over to the Commandos after his escape from Hydra. Gabe helped ground Steve and the other Commandos but didn’t Bond until he met his wife who worked as singer in a nightclub in Paris. She continued to live in a liberated Paris while Jones continued his work with the Commandos through the Korean war. Then the two moved back to the states and Gabe joined SHIELD. He retired in the early seventies and died surrounded by his family in the late nineties. Gabe mostly saw his spirit animal in his dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Belgian_Groenendael_portrait.jpg


	41. Jacques Dernier

** Jacques Dernier **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Raccoon

Raccoons are associated with disguise, dexterity, curiosity, secrecy, resourcefulness, stealth, ingenuity, cleverness, courage, and socialization

My friend’s favorite animal is a raccoon and she told me I had to make someone a raccoon. I was trying to think of who besides Rocket could possibly fit a raccoon, and Rocket made me think of Jacques. I do think it fits, especially with his past as a resistance member.

Jacques was an electrician before the war, which served him well when he joined the resistance. He had a real knack for explosives. His senses came online during a mission for the resistance that had him traveling alone through the countryside for three weeks. He was finally caught by Hydra when he zoned out on one of his own explosions. He saw his spirit animal frequently and bickered with it even though he usually ended up following its advice. He was a low-level Sentinel and never Bonded, content with occasional groundings with Center-Guides. He traveled after the war, unable to stay settled in any one place. He finally settled down back in France in the late eighties and died in the late nineties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raccoon_climbing_in_tree_-_Cropped_and_color_corrected.jpg


	42. Jim Morita

** Jim Morita **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Dormant

Spirit Animal: Antelope (Black Buck)

Antelopes are associated with survival, communication, intuition, protecting, grace, speed, vigilance, sacrifice, adaptability

Jim grew up in Fresno and was transferred to the Manzanar War Relocation Center after Pearl Harbor. He volunteered for the army as soon as the opportunity came up and he was shipped over to Europe. He stayed with the Howling Commandos until after the Korean war but declined the job offer of SHIELD. Instead he returned to Fresno and worked as a Port Auditor until his retirement in the early eighties. He died peacefully in a retirement home in the early 2000’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbuck#/media/File:Antilope_cervicapra_from_velavadar.JPG


	43. Montgomery Falsworth

** James Montgomery Falsworth **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bond-Widower

Spirit Animal: Penguin (Chinstrap)

Penguins are associated with endurance, navigation of emotions, intuition, patience, self-discipline, confidence, adaptation, etiquette

Maybe it’s the influence of Disney’s Mary Poppins, but Penguins feel inherently British to me, with a composed fortitude to weather the worst of things.

Falsworth was born into nobility and came online with the onset of puberty. He Bonded and married his Guide at a young age, but she was killed in the Blitz. Falsworth joined the BAF and parachuted into enemy territory. His unit took out three bridges along major German transport routes before they were captured. He stayed with the commandos until the end of the war, then returned to run his family’s estate. He remarried and had two children, a son and a daughter. As tensions with the communist east rose, Falsworth was approached by a branch of the government about funding a special team, the V-Battalion. Falsworth’s children joined the team as soon as they reached majority age and battled across Europe as Union Jack and Spitfire. Falsworth ran the team until the late seventies, when it was merged under the command of STRIKE. Falsworth died in his family home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinstrap_Penguin_on_a_snowy_day_at_Whalers_Bay,_Deception_Island_%286020382504%29.jpg


	44. Thor

** Thor **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Lion

Lions are associated with the sun, strength, passion, family, aggression, courage, justice, wisdom, honor, loyalty, confidence, leadership, royalty/authority, dignity, controlling, territorial

Lion was my immediate thought when it came to Thor, an animal that bridges him from the brash young warrior to the contemplative leader he becomes.

Almost all Aesir are either Sentinel or Guide, it is considered very weak and shameful to never awaken your abilities, and those who never do are considered little better than mortals. Thor was precocious even for Aesir, showing signs of coming online before he could even talk. When baby Loki came home, Thor immediately announced that Loki would one day be his guide. Indeed the brothers assumed for a long time that they would bond, and were in near-bond for much of their adolescence. However Odin’s plans to place Thor on Asgard’s throne, and Loki on Jotenheim’s could never be if they were bonded – the distance would be too great and break the bond and the frost giants would never accept an absent king. So against Frigga’s objections, Odin began to discourage the idea of bonding between the brothers. Confused, but loyal to his father, and possessing an open nature, Thor stopped relying on Loki to ground him and started going to the Healer-Guides. The distance dimmed the near-bond, but the two remain compatible, and even when they meet again as enemies, the bond tries to form, causing great anguish on both sides. Thor rarely saw his spirit animal before his exile, but now sees often, waking and dreaming. He is very careful to study and think out the meaning of his spirit animals messages


	45. Loki

** Loki **

Guide: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Shrike (Butcher bird)

The shrike is associated with ferocity, watchfulness, understanding masks, boldness, fearlessness, planning ahead, the value of surplus.

Shrikes are considered to be the only truly predatory songbird; while they still eat insects like other songbirds, they will also hunt small rodents and lizards. They are also known as Butcher birds, because they impale their large pray on thorns, needles and other sharp surfaces. They use these surfaces to also tear through the hide and flesh of the prey, rather than use their own blunt beak. I really like this idea for Loki, the songbird aspect for his silver tongue, but the ruthlessness of a predator.

Loki’s guide abilities came on earlier than most, possibly by the close proximity to Thor. As a child, Loki was content and secure in position as future Guide and second son to Thor. He would be there to advise and guide his brother, who would surely be a great leader. However this was taken from him when his father started encouraging them to look for future Bonded outside of each other. Loki was unable to even fathom being so close to someone aside from Thor and his mother—indeed his introverted nature made it difficult for him to befriend others easily and it hurt him deeply to see Thor had no such problems connecting to others. Despite Frigga’s best efforts, Loki would not ground with another Sentinel, eventually he learned mediation and thought work to mostly ground himself, but his lack of connection outside of himself left him unstable. It went unnoticed due to Loki’s penchant for deception and acting. Now he greatly resents Thor for never Bonding with him, and despises the perceived weakness in himself that cries for that bond even when they meet as enemies on the battlefield. Loki used to see his spirit animal all the time, but deliberately closed himself off from it as a painful reminder of his inadequacy as a Guide.


	46. Jane Foster

** Jane Foster **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Unbonded, pre-bond with Darcy

Spirit Animal: Orca

Orcas are associated with spiritual insight, seeing the unseen, longevity, harmony, balance, creativity, sensitivity, protection, dreams, alchemy, truth, grace, perception, connection to the greater cosmos

Jane is always thinking about the greater cosmos, and though she is a scientist she readily accepts that there are things in this world that science can’t explain – yet. I liked the idea of her spirit swimming through the cosmos even while her body was grounded on Earth, and there’s a deep thoughtful grace to Orcas that fit Jane. She is also pretty fearless and fierce when she needs to be (don’t forget that Orcas are predators and depending on the species will hunt penguins, seals and even the calves of other whales. If you ever want to cry, watch video of orcas drowning a whale calf, or playing catch with a still living penguin).

Jane’s abilities as guide didn’t come online until she sequestered herself in the desert, and even then she didn’t really notice until Darcy signed on as her intern. She has since formed a pre-bond with Darcy, mostly due to proximity and convenience, but there is a real warmth and connection to their friendship. Jane is also highly compatible with Thor, however she refuses to Bond with him due to the huge disparity in their life expectancy, even though Thor is willing. After her stint as the vessel for the Aether, her Guide abilities expanded greatly and she has to ground herself much more often than most. Before she had a few dreams of her spirit animal, now due to her connection to one of the Infinity Stones, she sees her animal near constantly and occasionally sees the animals of others.


	47. Darcy Lewis

** Darcy Lewis **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated, pre-bond with Jane

Spirit Animal: Skunk

Skunks are associated with confidence, defense, prudence, protection, effectiveness, awareness, good judgment, and pacifism

Darcy struts herself without apology and has no compunction taking others down if she’s threatened.

Darcy’s Sentinel abilities were dormant until she spent 18 weeks isolated in the desert with an absent-minded Guide. Darcy’s senses are pretty low, just barely crossing over into the Sentinel spectrum. Since her potential was deemed very low, Darcy never bothered to prepare in case she came online, and her protective instincts over Jane drove her a little nuts before she evened out. Jane is more than capable of grounding Darcy, but Darcy sometimes struggles to balance out Jane, especially after the Aether. Due to the disparity in their abilities, they will always need another Sentinel to fully ground Jane. This is usually Thor while he’s on Earth, but they use Clinic Sentinels otherwise. While Darcy and Jane are only moderately compatible, neither are very inclined to meet someone new, and will most likely end up Bonding out convenience and familiarity.


	48. Sif

** Sif **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Heimdall

Spirit animal: Skogkatt (Norwegian Forest Cat)

Cats are associated with patience, knowing when to act, independent yet social, curiosity, courage, agility, flexibility, secrecy, intelligence and mystery

I liked the idea of a cat for Sif, and played around with the idea of Lynx (I wanted most of the Asguardian animals to be ones that would have been around Vikings) but the Skogkatt won out. It is one of the largest breeds of domesticated cats and is the kind of cat that was said to pull Freya’s chariot. They are also known as Forest Fairy Cats and were thought to have the mystical ability to climb sheer rockface.

Sif came online with the onset of puberty, like most Aesir. Although there is no correlation between sex and predisposition to be Guide or Sentinel, the Aesir still associate Sentinels with masculine traits and Guides with feminine ones. As such, male Guides are encouraged to study tactics and the logistical side of warfare, while female Sentinels are pointed toward healing and medicine. Sif had no patience for the healing arts, but neither did she wish to forswear men and join the ranks of the Valkyrie, nor be content as a member of the home guard. Sif wanted to go out into battle, and pursued becoming a warrior. While she was legally within her rights to do so, it was socially frowned upon and it wasn’t until she met Thor that the pressure on her began to recede. Thor never once insinuated that she shouldn’t be a warrior, and was ridiculously pleased whenever she bested him or the others. Sif was also never interested in a romantic Bond and Bonded with her brother, Heimdall relatively young. She and Thor have been casually involved off and on throughout the years, but while she loves him dearly, she has zero interest in becoming Queen. However during a particularly peaceful century, she did have a daughter with Thor, Torunn. Since she is born out of wedlock, Torunn is legally solely Sif’s daughter and has no claim to the throne, but she is proving to be as fierce a warrior as both of her parents. Sif’s senses are midrange and smell is her strongest sense.


	49. Torunn

** Torunn **

Sentinel – Activated, Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Lioness

Lions are associated with the sun, strength, passion, family, aggression, courage, justice, wisdom, honor, loyalty, confidence, leadership, royalty/authority, dignity, controlling, territorial

Torunn is determined to be a great warrior like both of her parents. While she knows that both Thor and Sif love her fiercely, their duties keep them gone for long periods of time and she fosters with Volstagg’s family. She is as boisterous and extroverted as her parents, but has a melancholy, introverted streak and she sometimes needs space from the large, loud family. When this happens she spends long hours at the Bi-Frost with her uncle, Heimdall. Sometimes he tells her long stories in his low, soothing voice, others they just sit in companionable silence. She struggles with pride of her heritage and the fear of living up to the legacy, and she has begun to but heads more and more often with Sif these days.

 

I know Torunn is usually given blond hair, but dark hair is the dominant gene and I really liked the idea of Georgie Henley as Torunn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animal image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lioness_at_Auckland_Zoo_-_Flickr_-_111_Emergency.jpg


	50. Heimdall

** Heimdall **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Sif

Spirit Animal: Peacock

Peacocks are associated with death and rebirth, all aspects of beauty, vision, awakening, endurance of spirit, incorruptibility, dignity, glory, confidence, love, pride, nobility, generosity, longevity, compassion and watchfulness

I like the regal aspect of the peacock for Heimdall, as well as the association with Argos, the thousand-eyed sentinel of Hera.

Heimdall was always a rather solemn child, a counter-point to his boisterous sister, Sif. His guide abilities were marked as the strongest since Frigga, and he was approached at a rather young age to be Asguard’s Sentinel. While this position is usually offered to an unparalleled Sentinel, both Odin and Frigga were impressed with Heimdall’s loyalty and integrity. Heimdall learned much sorcery from Frigga and was given artificial sight and hearing by Healers and the Soul Forge. Heimdall vowed celibacy and isolation as part of his duties, but with so much to see and hear and learn from the cosmos, Heimdall considered this a fair trade and never once regretted his vows. Even though he couldn’t zone, because he wasn’t really a Sentinel, Heimdall nevertheless often lost himself in watching the lives of others, often to the detriment of his own body. He agreed to Bond with Sif in order to anchor himself more concretely to Asguard and his own physical existence. He is very fond of Torunn and often acts her closest confidant.


	51. Fandral

** Fandral **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Pine Marten

Pine Martins are associated with swiftness, wit, lateral thinking, arrogance, playfulness, cunning, sense of boundaries, and balance

I wanted a small mammal for Fandral, like a weasel, but the connotations for weasel were a little harsh for Fandral. Martens, while related to weasels, are often treated a little more heroically in folk tales, which I felt fit our swashbuckler a bit better.

Fandral came online with the onset of puberty and has been charming Sentinels ever since. He’s more even tempered than many of his compatriots and his easy going nature means he never lacks for company. While Fandral has no interest in Bonding, he rarely turns down a request for grounding and most of his romantic entanglements have been light and easy with surprisingly little drama. He sees his spirit animal often, and often shoves responsibility for his actions on his spirit animal.


	52. Volstagg

** Volstagg **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Hildegund

Spirit Animal: Bull (Scottish Longhair)

Bulls are associated with stability, virility, strength, stamina, provision, confidence, helpfulness, determination, stubbornness, fortitude

Volstagg’s animal was one of the rare ones that came to me immediately and I was set on it even before I did research. While Volstagg is a warrior and a fighter, it is also obvious that he’s equally at home during peace time. I wanted a touch of that solid, dependable domesticity he has, and well, a time honored virility symbol seemed fitting for someone with so many kids.

Volstagg was a bit of a late bloomer coming into his abilities, but he did so with a bang. His strongest senses are taste and smell and he is considered to have the most refined palette of Asguard, if not a discerning one. While Volstagg has a hot temper that lends itself well to being a warrior, he is more at home at his farmstead surrounded by the noise of his family. He fell for Hidlegund after he zoned on a sample of her cooking and she brought him out of it by braiding his beard. They Bonded young and married as soon as possible. They have two sons (Alaric, Rolfe), three daughters (Flosi, Gudrun and Gunnhild) and sometimes foster Torunn for Sif and Thor.


	53. Hogun

** Hogun **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal: Wolf

Wolves are associated with family, wisdom, loyalty, cunning, generosity, intelligence, communication, compassion and victory

Another animal that just immediately fit, no real thought process.

Hogun was born in Vanaheim, a realm of wisdom and spirituality. However, when Hogun was very young, the Vanir warred with Asguard and lost to their more warlike cousins, becoming for all intents and purposes an occupied territory. As part of the new treaty, children of prominent Vanir are fostered for three years with an Aesir family and vise versa. Hogun fostered with Volstagg’s family and through him was introduced to Thor, Sif and Fandral. Hogun returned to Asguard as soon as he reached majority and swore into service. He’s valued as a high level guide who is willing to go into battle. He has yet to fail to bring a Sentinel out of a zone, regardless of the situation.


	54. Odin

** Odin **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Bonded to Frigga

Spirit Animal – Boar

Boars are associated with leadership, royalty, wealth, prosperity, primal power, victory, strategy, protection, virility, creativity and art

I dismissed the idea of a raven for Odin because it seemed too obvious with his connection to Huginn and Muninn. Also Odin had to trade his eye for his wisdom/mysticism, it’s not an innate characteristic. I also wanted something more aggressive, he was a conquering warrior, and he seems to be becoming more rigid and fighty in his old age (especially in the comics, wtf).

Odin Bonded to Frigga later in his life, after already claiming the throne of Asguard after his father. Frigga was considered the wisest of the nine realms at the time, and in order to be worthy of her and the throne, Odin traded his eye for wisdom. For a long time he ruled as All-Father, and was generally a just ruler, only going to war when it was deemed necessary. However his most recent Odin-sleeps have been cut short and his age is catching up to him. He stopped connecting to his spirit animal as often, arrogantly believing his gifted wisdom was enough to guide him. He has begun to become rigid and uncompromising in his politics, and seldom listens to even Frigga’s advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> animal image from : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_boar#/media/File:Sus_scrofa_cristatus.jpg


	55. Frigga

** Frigga **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Bonded to Odin

Spirit Animal: Spider (Golden Orb)

Spiders are associated with wisdom, patience, feminine energy, creativity, cycles, death and rebirth, craft, creation, protection, infinity, fate, the darker side of life

I wanted a strong feminine mysticism for Frigga, and it doesn’t get much stronger than the spider. Golden orb spiders are called that because their silk is actually a beautiful golden color, and they nest their eggs in protective orbs, which the mother defends fiercely.

Frigga was the strongest Guide of her time and many Sentinels courted her, but it wasn’t until Odin her king, humbled himself before her with great honesty that she accepted. She loved Thor, but had much more in common with her adopted son Loki, and she urged her husband several times to give up the plan of putting Loki on the throne of Jotenheim. She ached to see her son so isolated, but allowed herself to believe him when he said he was fine, because she was desperate for it to be true. While she is proud of Thor’s newfound wisdom, the deterioration of her husband and loss of her second son weighs heavily upon her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> animal image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlife_encounters/15329317002/


	56. Matt Murdock

** Matt Murdock **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Sentinel: Activated – Pre-Bonded to Foggy

Spirit Animal: Weasel

Weasels are associated with cunning, stealth, observation, silence, grace, solitude, discernment, escape from tight situations

I knew I wanted a mammal, and a solitary one. But Matt wasn’t grounded like a bear or totally mysterious like a cat. I liked the weasel because there’s a playful hint there, while still undeniably being a predator.

Matt’s father never came online, though he showed all the territorial and protective traits of a Sentinel. Matt’s potential was projected low and as such, didn’t qualify for government assistance for Sentinel prep schooling. The chemicals involved in the accident that blinded him not only brought him online, but enhanced his senses to the upper echelons of Sentinel capability. Matt kept his new senses a secret, at first to keep his father from being worried, but soon because he found it useful to be underestimated. Matt grounded himself on his father at first, then relied on the meditation Stick taught him. However after meeting Foggy in college, he found himself grounding more and more often on the dormant guide. Of all his Sentinel traits, Matt struggles the most with his territorial nature, especially around other Sentinels. His instincts draw him to Elektra as a strong potential mate, even as they clash over territory. Thus their relationship is a fiery off and on one, mixed with regrets on both sides. Matt is also especially protective of Karen, since her Guide abilities came online after the murder of her co-worker, but she was obviously unaware of this due to the trauma and her low-levels. Matt usually only sees his animal during mediations, but it has on a couple of occasions appeared to him in his waking life. Matt is good at taking it’s advice when it comes to helping others, but rather horrible at listening to it’s lessons on his own self-care.


	57. Franklin "Foggy" Nelson

** Foggy Nelson **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide: Activated – Pre-Bonded to Matt

Spirit Animal: Duck (Cayuga)

Ducks are associated with self-expression, emotional strength, emotional protection, reconnecting with family, honesty, simplicity and resourcefulness

I wanted a deceptively innocuous, even comic animal for Foggy, because I think he’s a person every regularly underestimates, even those closest to him. And then the Cayuga has such beautiful plumage I couldn’t resist.

Foggy grew up determined to break out of the poverty of his childhood home, and while he got plenty of scholarships for college, his student loan debt and his inability to take ruthless, cutthroat advantage of the system keeps him struggling with money. Even without Matt acting as an unprofitable angel of conscience, Foggy’s strong sense of right and wrong often lead to him taking the nobler, if poorer actions. That doesn’t mean he won’t complain about it though. Foggy came online as a Guide after getting caught in the tenement explosion and finding out about Matt’s dual identity. After he cooled down, Foggy insisted on acting as a full and proper Guide to his friend, even as Matt insisted that he could deal just fine with meditation. Despite Matt’s protests, he rather likes being taken care of and indulges Foggy as often as he can. Karen has also taken to following Foggy’s lead in handling Matt, though she hasn’t quite realized that she’s come online as Guide, or that Matt’s a Sentinel. Foggy has never seen his animal aside from a few joint meditations with Matt in the brief time before he fell asleep. Matt sometime teases him about his animal being a duck, but Foggy takes a fierce pride in the association and decorates his desk with feisty figurines of Donald and Darkwing Duck, even a Gizmo Duck.


	58. Karen Page

** Karen Page **

[](http://imgup.net/)

Guide- Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal – Prairie Dog

Prarie Dogs are associated with family, community, vigilance, preparedness, responsibility, affection, caretaking, self-examination and knowing when to retreat

I wanted a social animal for Karen, and the guard and alert system of prairie dogs fit in with her whistleblower nature. Karen is driven by doing what’s right for the community and I love that about her.

Karen grew up in the slums of Boston, raised by an abusive uncle who treated her like a burden and meal-ticket all at once. She became addicted to benzodiazepines in early high-school, leading to a drop in her grades, leading to more abuse at home, leading to more drugs. It came to a head when her uncle discovered her stash, and pissed about the expense, he came after her. Karen defended herself with a kitchen knife, leaving her uncle bleeding on the floor and she took to the streets. She managed to beg and hitchhike her way to New York. There she found a shelter that specialized in runaway teens. With regular support, she managed to get clean and she got her GED. After a few years of working as a waitress, she put herself through community college and got an associate’s’ degree in accounting. Things were really looking up when she landed the job at Union Allied Construction, until two years later when she discovered the embezzlement. Karen’s Guide abilities came online the night of the murder, but the trauma and her low levels and her ensuing pursuit of the truth means she has yet to realize this. Still she was immediately drawn to both Matt and Foggy, only holding back due to her distrust of motives behind them helping her pro-bono. Once she learned to trust them, and their decent natures, she held herself back from fear of them discovering her past, and the fact that she killed Wesley. Karen has yet to meet her spirit guide, but her instincts have her grounding both Matt and Foggy when necessary. In time, it could become a tri-bond.


	59. Wilson Fisk

 

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Wilson Fisk **

Sentinel – Activated - Bonded to Vanessa, partial-bond to Wesley

Spirit Animal – Gorilla

Gorillas are associated with leadership, strength, intelligence, gentleness, dignity, honor, respect, loyalty and temperance

I wanted an animal that most of the time was noble and gentle, but would be absolutely terrifying in violence.

Fisk tested strongly for Sentinel abilities as a child, though neither of his parents had activated. His father hated that not only was his son a useless momma’s boy, but that he had this huge, documented potential that he wasn’t living up to. Fisk’s abilities activated on the night he killed his father and he zoned out several times while his mother disposed of the body. He got a handle on his senses on his relatives’ farm, but no matter how much meditation, scripture reading and soul searching he did, he could never manage to actually contact his spirit guide. He met Wesley when he did a hostile take over of the “company” Wesley was working for. It took months and he only succeeded because Wesley came over to his side. While they never actually Bonded, it was as close as either thought they were capable of. No one was more surprised than Fisk when he fully Bonded to Vanessa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> animal image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gorilla_gorilla_gorilla_01.jpg


	60. James Wesley

[](http://imgup.net/)

** James Wesley **

Guide – Partially Activated – Partial-bond to Fisk

Spirit Animal – Jackal (Black-Backed)

Jackals are associated with Opportunistic, seeing in the dark, calculating, aloofness, loyalty, transformation, death, small, tight-knit communities, deception and astral wisdom

I definitely wanted canine, and something tricksterish, but more serious and having the loyalty of the dog, or wolf, so I went with Jackal.

Wesley grew up in the privileged class, attended the best private schools and was far more intelligent than his peers. Bored with school, but disinclined to accelerate his academics to deal with older people still dumber than he was, Wesley began selling prescription meds to his peers. He only experimented once, which was enough to activate his guide abilities, but the sudden empathy to someone who was previously sociopathic made him slam the door and suppress the abilities as best as he could. By the time he graduated college with a business masters, Wesley had climbed ranks to a mid-level position in a drug-trafficking organization. Fisk was the first challenge he had encountered in turf wars and he was impressed by another human being for the first time in his life. Puzzled but intrigued by Fisk’s strange dichotomy between intelligence, honor, ruthlessness and rage, Wesley finally turned on his employers and swore allegiance to Fisk. For years they grounded each other, despite their incomplete access to their own abilities, which meant they could never fully bond with each other. Wesley was dubious about Vanessa at first, but after strict background checks, and seeing how good she was for the one person he actually cared about, Wesley fully supported the relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> animal image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black-backed_jackal_Etosha.jpg


	61. Vanessa Marianna

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Vanessa Marianna **

Guide – Activated – Bonded to Fisk

Spirit Animal – Cat (Javanese)

Cats are associated with patience, knowing when to act, independent yet social, curiosity, courage, agility, flexibility, secrecy, intelligence and mystery

Seriously, what else would Vanessa be, but a cat?

Vanessa grew up upper middle class, double majored in art history and business, started as a clerk in an art gallery in midtown before opening her own. Her Guide abilities activated young, but she was never that interested in Bonding. Instead she used her abilities to pair the right customer with the right piece of art. While she often dreamed of her spirit animal, she wasn’t too concerned with finding the message, or the correct path. She was more interested in experiencing here and now, and was in a way addicted to feelings and emotion, always seeking for new stimulus. However she never went in for anything harder than alcohol because she didn’t want “false emotions”. She was immediately drawn to Fisk the moment she met him, and while she tried to stay cautious and logical, he was too emotionally stimulating to stay away from. Falling in love and Bonding happened quickly.


	62. Jessica Jones

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Jessica Jones **

Guide – Activated – Bonded to Trish, Pre-Bond to Luke

Spirit Animal – Lizard (Armadillo Girded)

Lizards are associated with facing fear, regeneration, adaptation, introversion, quickness, shrewdness, spontaneity, reflexive, going with the flow. Armadillos are associated with pacifism, reclusion, neutrality, complexity, sensitivity, curiosity and protection

I knew I wanted a lizard for Jessica, and the armadillo girded let me also toy with the whole armored thing she’s got going on.

Jessica tested as a low-level guide and was never that interested in pursuing her gifts, so it wasn’t until the accident that gave her her super-strength that her guide abilities activated. While they are still low, they do give her an edge up on reading people. She and Trish bonded shortly after Jess stood up to Trish’s mother, and though the bond was severely strained during her stint with Killgrave and the six months of separation after, it never broke. While Jessica’s drinking helps tone down her guide abilities when it comes to other people, it leaves her more open to seeing her spirit animal, which she tries to ignore as much as possible (she doesn’t succeed most of the time). Her spirit animal is unimpressed when she throws things at it or yells at it, just sits there and stares judgmentally. Nothing is quite as judgmental looking as a lizard. She was immediately drawn to Luke Cage, and had to clamp down on the Bond growing between them as much as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> animal image https://imgur.com/gallery/k5Sc5


	63. Trish Walker

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Trish Walker **

Sentinel – Activated –Bonded to Jessica

Spirit Animal – Wombat

Wombats are associated with industriousness, agility, playfulness, underestimated, confidence, strategy, home, advocation, rightful aggression, structure, understanding multi-layers, intelligence

I almost went with raccoon, but Trish is more grounded than I associate with raccoons, less impulsive for all her playfulness. Wombats are homebodies and burrowers, but defend their homes fiercely and can fight off dingos and Tasmanian devils. I also liked the idea of a marsupial for Trish, because while she’s obviously very caring and protective of Jessica, she’s not afraid of that tough love that Jess sometimes needs.

Trish’s sentinel abilities activated during her very stressful puberty years, since that’s when her mother landed her the Patsy role. While her senses are just barely sensitive enough to classify her as Sentinel, Trish definitely inherited the territorial and protective instincts, which sometimes creates friction with Jessica. She also struggles with her desire to fight and protect, and her lack of super powers, especially around Jessica and Luke. And while part of her is wary of Jessica’s new relationship with Luke, for the most part she’s happy for her sister and willing to be a secondary bond, if Jess and Luke ever actually get around to bonding. Trish sees her spirit animal quite frequently, especially in meditation, but her animal doesn’t have to point or push her in the right direction often, just acts as confirmation that she’s already doing the right thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wombat#/media/File:Vombatus_ursinus_-Maria_Island_National_Park.jpg


	64. Luke Cage

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Luke Cage **

Sentinel – Activated – Bond-Widower

Spirit Animal – Bear (Grizzly)

Bears are associated with bravery, peace, power, benevolence, nurturing, protection, judgment, confidence, authority, grounding, and duality

I like bear for Luke because he’s a quiet, thoughtful dude that mostly wants to just be left alone, but he will destroy you if you go after his.

Luke’s Sentinel abilities came online when his superpowers did. His taste and smell are mid-level, while his others are low-level. While he had decided to stay alone due to his powers, eventually he had too much trouble zoning. Hefelt weird grounding on different Guides at the center, so he finally gave in and went to mixer where he met Reva. They sparked quickly and in a whirlwind of three months they bonded and married. They were married for seven years until her murder. Afterwards he used the center for grounding and stuck to strictly sexual relationships. While he was drawn to Jessica, and grounded on her a couple of times, he fought the instinct to bond with her, which seemed to be just as well since it allowed him to leave Hell’s Kitchen after the Killgrave incident to recuperate and regroup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Grizzly_Denali_Crop.jpg


	65. Malcolm Ducass

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Malcolm Ducass **

Guide-Activated-Unbonded

Spirit Animal – Quail

Quails are associated with earthy, action, protection, group nourishment, opportunity, nourishing the soul, abundance, camouflage, peaceful solutions, and courage against hardship

Quiet but fashionable, with an emphasis on family and caring, I thought the quail fit Malcolm, who can’t help but help people.

Malcolm tested mid-level guide when he activated during puberty. He honed his gifts diligently, but was never too interested in bonding. Instead he wanted to go into social work, until Killgrave got a hold of him. Malcolm used to see his spirit animal rather frequently through meditation, but he stopped looking for it a month into Killgrave’s control when he saw how abused it now appeared. Now free, he meditates often, relying heavily on his spirit animal to help him stay clean and not give in again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/California_Quail_mail_in_Golden_Gate_Park.JPG


	66. Killgrave

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Killgrave **

Guide – Partially Activated – Unbonded

Spirit Animal – Angler fish

Angler fish are associated with intelligence, cleverness, outsmarting opponents, a need for challenge and gameplay, masking true emotions and thoughts, solitary, competitive, and possessive

I was stuck on Killgrave for a while, until my friend (the same who keeps trying to get me to make people raccoons) was just like Anglerfish! Then when I looked it up, it fit so perfectly it had to happen.

Killgrave had very high levels, and he reads people very easily. However, the experiments that gave him his powers interfered with the part of him that can actually empathize with others. Combined with years of being able to make anyone his own personal doll, Killgrave stopped considering other people as actual people long ago. Being highly intelligent, but unchallenged, Killgrave was listless until Jessica broke from his control. So while he was determined to win, he let it drag out much longer because he wasn’t ready to give up the exciting challenge of it. Possibly one of the most frightening things about him, is that, like Johann Schmidt, he frequently listens to his animal guide. It’s just that since the guide is only concerned about his growth, it doesn’t take in consideration the havoc his path wreaks on others.


	67. Scott Lang

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Scott Lang  **

Guide – Activated - Unbonded

Spirit Animal – Chipmunk

Chipmunks are associated with artistry, creativity, play, exploration, intuition, preparation, observation, knowing when to move and when to stay still, trust, friendliness, fearless, chattiness

Scott, especially in the MCU, reminds me a lot of Clint, only less cynical and more intuitive when it comes to people. Chipmunks are like the hyper kid sibling to squirrels, and I thought it fit Scott very well.

Scott didn’t activate as a Guide until he was in prison and his low-levels made it easy for him to adjust. Scott doesn’t dream or meditate, but does occasionally get flashes of his guide during waking hours. Since his guide is unconcerned with legal laws, and is in itself somewhat reckless in nature, Scott often lands in a lot of trouble doing the right thing and listening to his guide. While he is drawn to Hope, and sometimes grounds her, they haven’t gotten to Pre-Bond stage yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopi_chipmunk#/media/File:Tamias-rufus-001.jpg


	68. Cassie Lang

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Cassie Lang **

Sentinel – Unactivated

Spirit Animal – Lemur (Mouse)

Lemurs are associated with family, communication, matching energy to the situation, eccentricity, charisma, food, enjoyment of simpler things, wit, dramatic, and manipulation

Cassie is adorable, and shown to be unique in her taste in toys, so I thought the lemur fit her well.

Cassie has not activated, but testing has shown potential for mid-level or higher sentinel abilities. While she has never actually interacted with her spirit animal, lemurs are her favorite animal and she has memorized all the Madagascar movies and several episodes of the tv show. She dressed as Mort for Halloween three years in a row, her mother had to modify the costume each time to accommodate her growing child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomy_of_lemurs#/media/File:Microcebus_murinus_-Artis_Zoo,_Amsterdam,_Netherlands-8a.jpg


	69. Hank Pym

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Hank Pym **

Sentinel – Activated – Bond-Widower

Spirit Animal – Tortoise (Gopher)

Tortoises are associated with longevity, endurance, survival, patience, listening to others, resourcefulness, simplicity, protection, solitary, grace, order, peaceful, and stability

I admit it, I looked into ants but the biggest component for ants is working well with others, and Hank only works well with others when he’s in charge, and sometimes not even then. The tortoise’s solitary nature and thick shell fit better with Hank’s isolation and hiding his emotions. And while tortoises are generally considered wise and peaceful, I’ve always thought they had a bit of cantankerous to them. Possibly thanks to Never Ending Story. I specifically liked the gopher tortoise because it burrows and builds, which fits in with Hank’s inventions.

Hank activated in college when he isolated himself for moths working on his latest inspiration. His touch is his highest sense in the mid-range, while the others remain relatively low. He met Janet Van Dyne at a campus mixer, where he dismissed her due to her fashion design degree and she called him “pompous” and “chauvinistic”. They debated for the rest of the party, ignoring pretty much everyone else and went on their first date the next weekend. Over the next few years they Bonded and got married, though they never found a Guide to balance them out and had to rely on center-provided Guides. They kept peace in their marriage by each having a room in the house that was solely theirs. Though Hank has new hope that Janet still lives, her transition to another plane of existence severed their Bond and he only grounds with center guides when he absolutely has to. Hank has only seen his spirit animal once, the night before he proposed the Janet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_tortoise#/media/File:Gopherus_polyphemus_Tomfriedel.jpg


	70. Janet Van Dyne

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Janet Van-Dyne  **

Sentinel – Activated – Bond-Widow

Spirit Animal – Otter (River)

Otters are associated with creativity, imagination, laughter, female wisdom, joy, youthfulness, playfulness, unmasking talents, sharing, togetherness, positive outlook, faithfulness, curiousity

Janet is such a fun and upbeat character, otter really seemed to be the best fit.

Janet’s potential tested mid-range, but she surprise everyone by activating as a Sentinel rather than a Guide after a girl scout camping trip when she was 13. Her sight and hearing are higher-mid-range and the rest of her senses are lower-end. She saw her guide infrequently, usually in dreams, but did not often need guidance since she had a strong moral compass of her own. She is generally non-aggressive as a Sentinel, but will not back down from a fight started by someone else. Heiress to a rich family, Janet had no problem living up to the party girl attitude that everyone seemed to expect from her, and she didn’t really flourish in school until college when she got to focus on fashion and design. However she also volunteered for several causes and her benefits were rivaled only by Maria Stark’s. She took great delight in deconstructing Hank Pym’s assumptions about her at the mixer, but was drawn to him when he just started spouting science at her as if she would be able to follow along. (She got the basic gists and was able to fake the rest). Her very outoing nature balanced Hank’s more solitary one, but it also led to a few spectacular clashes in their relationship. Janet had a natural affinity for the pym-particle technology, and loved flying more than anything else. Now that it is possible that she survived her trip to sub-atomic levels, it is unknown how such a long period of such existence will have affected her if she is rescued.


	71. Hope Van Dyne

[](http://imgup.net/)

** Hope Van-Dyne **

Sentinel – Activated –Unbonded

Spirit Animal – Sable

Sables are associated with swiftness, wit, lateral thinking, arrogance, playfulness, cunning, sense of boundaries, and balance, solitude, curiosity, wealth and elegance

I wanted something that reflected Hope’s controlled passion, her reserve but snarky sense of humor. Sables are a part of the marten family, but since their fur is highly sought after, they are also a symbol of wealth and prestige.

Hope tested high and activated early when she was sent to boarding school after her mother’s “death”. While she took after her father’s more introverted nature, she inherited her mother’s passion and ability to show people the side of her they want to see, which makes her skilled at infiltration and corporate dealings. She legally changed her last name to her mother’s last name when she turned 18, and was disappointed when her father simply accepted it. Her touch is her highest since, in the high-end, and the rest of her senses are upper mid-range. She is not very in touch with her spirit animal, and even during the rare encounters she has trouble interpreting the message. She has no particular interest in Bonding, but will not deny it if happens. Hank and Scott are the only people that can get under her skin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on adding Darren Cross next, but while I've got everything else figured out, his animal is stumping me! I don't know if it's because I've 71 of these so far or what, but if anyone has any ideas, feel free to throw them at me.


End file.
